CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NEWS
JULY 2008
Inside this issue:
New
West Union Website
Smokefree Air Act
Sales and Use Tax
Green Pilot Project Update
Free Energy Audits
Calendar of Events
CHAMBER GOLF TOURNAMENT RAISES OVER
$2000!
Fourteen teams enjoyed a day of golf at the 4th Annual Chamber Fundraising
Golf Tournament on Saturday, June 27 at Country Hills Community Golf course.
The 3-person best shot raised just over $2000 for building improvements for
the front entryway to the Chamber building.
The event would not be possible without the great support of the following
hole sponsors including Bemiss Distributing, Allen Knox Associates, Farm Bureau
Insurance-Frank Olson, First National Bank, Haven Electronics, Kerndt Brothers
Savings Bank, Imperial Roof Systems, Palmer Lutheran Health Center, and Swiss
Valley Farms Dairy. Doughnuts and coffee were sponsored by Moore's Foods and
lunch sponsors included Lee Pape-Iowa Promotions and Imperial Roof Systems.
Prize sponsors were Bemiss Distributing, Palmer Lutheran Health Center, First
National Bank, Woodard Insurance Co., German Mutual Insurance, Old Mill Floral,
Spirits & Such, McJ's Embroidery Accents, Stahr Realty, and NAPA Auto
Parts. Special thanks to Country Hills for their assistance.
Winners in the championship flight were Derek Heins, Adam Schneberger, and
Jason Lensing followed by Lucas Bostrom, Lucas Johansen, and Chase Johnson
in 2nd place. First place in the first flight were Lee Johansen, Mark and
Robin Bostrom followed by Anne and Tobin Britt and Lon Britt in 2nd place.
Longest drive awards went to Amy Ameling and Chase Johnson. Longest putt went
to Chase Johnson and closest to the pin honors went to Buck Whitford.
Thank you to the following Fireworks Sponsors:
Our annual fireworks celebration would not be possible without the financial
support of many in our community. This year's show is $4300 and we are still
accepting donations to cover the cost of the show. Thanks to the following
for their continued financial support:
· Miss Drew's Closet
· Barb & Ron O'Kones
· Bemiss Distributing
· Signode
· West Union CIVIC Club
· Steege Pharmacy
· First National Bank
· Kerndt Brothers Savings Bank
· Fayette County Union
· Heying Firms
· Baumler Implements
· Dessel Roach Floorcovering
· McJ's Embroidery Accents
· Haven Electronics
· Gundersen Clinic
· Palmer Lutheran Health Center
· Homestead Iowa Realty
· Lauer & Lauer Insurance
· Moore's Foods
· NAPA Auto Parts
· Northeast Iowa Realty
· $1000 from the can collection bin
· Mark & Robin Bostrom
· German Mutual Insurance
· Joan Vagts
NEW WEST UNION WEBSITE COMING SOON!
One of the first benefits of the Green Pilot Program will be a newly designed
West Union website with funding coming from the Iowa Department of Economic
Development. The new updated website will be more user-friendly and include
additional information about local city government, community activities,
and local businesses. One new feature will be a rolling ad space highlighting
local Chamber member businesses. Businesses will be featured on a rotating
basis enabling them to have better exposure to website visitors.
In order to become more "green" the current Chamber & Main Street
newsletters will also be available online as well as downloadable forms for
all Chamber & Main Street sponsored events. This will lower the amount
of paper copies printed in the office and also allow members to access all
information from their computer at work or home.
Another feature will be a special Green Pilot page with updates on this new
community-wide project. Educational information about new green technologies
as well as simple things that each business can do to become more environmentally
friendly will be found there. A special page for kids will have information
about community activities that are going on for them as well as games, activity
pages, and other fun items.
If you have any ideas for items that you would like to see on the new website,
please call the Chamber office at 422-3070. We want to make sure that this
new site becomes a great resource and communication tool for local residents
and visitors as well.
SMOKEFREE AIR ACT TAKES EFFECT JULY 1
The Iowa Smokefree Air Act goes into effect on July 1, 2008. This new law
impacts virtually all employers with new obligations to comply with under
the statue. This sweeping legislation requires signage at nearly every business
and workplace across the state. The law prohibits smoking in all enclosed
public places and workplaces and in some outdoor areas. The ban covers office
buildings, factories, warehouses, shopping malls, private offices and all
enclosed areas or places of employment, including employer-owned vehicles.
It includes all enclosed areas of restaurants, bars, nightclubs, coffee shops
and cafeterias. Smoking is also prohibited in outdoor sports arenas, stadiums,
amphitheaters and the designated seating areas of outdoor entertainment venues.
The law requires the posting of "no smoking" signs at every entrance
to public places and places of employment where smoking is not allowed, as
well as every entrance to outdoor areas where smoking is banned. Signs must
also be posted in vehicles owned, leased, or provided by an employer. Full
details of the law are available online at www.IowaSmokefreeAir.gov. The Chamber
Office can assist you in printing signs for your business or you can download
signs to print from the above website under the resource tab. For more information
please contact 1-888-944-2247.
Sales & Use Tax Update
Also beginning on July 1, the Iowa sales and use tax rate will change from
5% to 6%. House File 2663 is a bi-partisan bill that creates a statewide one
cent sales tax for school infrastructure, in place of the local option sales
tax. Currently, all 99 Iowa counties have approved the one cent local option
sales tax, including Fayette County. As a result, the sales tax will not increase
for Iowa consumers.
The sales tax will not increase for Iowa consumers. The money once collected
locally for school local option (SILO) is now being collected at the state
level. All sales tax money will now go into one "pot" and then be
distributed out to school districts on a per pupil basis. Rural schools like
North Fayette will now receive more of a fair share of that revenue.
For more information you can go to www.state.ia.us/tax or phone 1-800-367-3388.
GREEN PILOT PROJECT UPDATE
West Union hosted numerous State and Federal agencies
in West Union on June 24, 25, & 26 for the first workshop as a Green Pilot
city with the Department of Economic Development. The Green Pilot concept
is very new to many who attended, and although some parts of the workshop
were very technical in nature, many environmentally friendly design practices
from around the world were shared with those in attendance. One aspect is
the understanding that the Green Pilot Program will not just provide technical
and financial assistance for our proposed streetscape project, but will be
a much broader community-wide program. Much information was shared about the
water quality and storm water run-off issues that currently exist in many
parts of Northeast Iowa, and several solutions were presented. We also learned
about many new technologies such as geothermal, solar and wind energy that
can assist in reducing the energy costs to businesses and private residents
alike. Attendees also learned that taking a look at all aspects of our current
built environment can provide opportunities to develop a much more integrated
system that can actually reduce costs and create a more economically sustainable
system.
Another benefit of the workshop included learning about the many state and
federal programs that are being developed to assist with the planning and
implementation of these "green concepts". New policy changes are
coming for almost every agency and programming is already in place to help
communities such as West Union learn and plan for these sweeping changes.
A major goal of the program is to help small rural communities in Iowa remain
strong and take a proactive approach in their community development. We have
much more to learn, but there are many programs available that have never
been utilized in our community before. Never before has our community had
so much support from such a broad group of agencies including the Iowa Department
of Economic Development, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Iowa
Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Department of Health,
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, Iowa Architectural Foundation, Fayette
County Soil and Water Conservation District, and Conservation Design Forum.
Each month a portion of this newsletter will be devoted to sharing information
about the Green Pilot Program. All business owners, residents, and interested
individuals are encouraged to attend meetings, ask questions, and learn about
this process. Many visitors will be in our community in the days and weeks
ahead. They stay overnight in our local motels, eat in our restaurants, and
purchase gas and other merchandise. We have already begun to feel that economic
impact. They have also said that they are very impressed with the friendly
people they meet everywhere they stop. Many of us know that our local people
are our greatest asset. Let's continue to grow and learn, and share with those
around us as we travel along this new green journey together!
ENERGY AUDITS COMING THIS MONTH
OK. OK. We know we're hitting you with lots of "green" stuff in
this newsletter, but there are a lot of great things being made available
to West Union now that we are a Green Pilot community!
During the month of July, ATEC, an energy consulting firm used by Alliant Energy and Aquila, will begin conducting FREE energy audits for any business in West Union. Each audit will show current energy usage and look for ways to improve the energy efficiency for that location. A report will be provided with steps that could be taken to reduce the current energy costs. The great thing about this audit is that grant funds are being made available to assist building owners with actually installing some of the suggested improvements. As all of us face increasing energy costs both at the gas pump and through almost every aspect of running our businesses, this will assist business owners to reduce their out-of-pocket costs this fall and winter.
Additional information will be delivered to every business
in the coming weeks, and appointments will be scheduled for later in July
and early August. If your business would like to receive a FREE energy audit,
please contact the Chamber office and we will add you to the list. This is
just one simple way we can all be a little more green!
AREA CALENDAR OF EVENTS
1 MSWU Board meeting
2 Blood Drive at Echo Valley Speedway
MSWU Organization Committee
4 Fun Walk at Rec Center
Chamber Office Closed
5 Fireworks at Rec Center
7 West Union City Council meeting
8 Chamber Board meeting
10 Iowa Great Places Visioning
FCEDC Board meeting
11 WUIDC Board meeting
13 Palmer Garden Walk
15 Business Improvement Committee
15 Design Committee
15 Fayette County Tourism meeting
16 Fayette County Local Housing Trust Fund Meeting
17 Community Foundation Affiliate meeting in Waterloo
18 Jr. Golf Tournament at Country Hills
21Fayette County Community Foundation Board
West Union City Council
22 Fayette County Fair
23 Fayette County Fair
24 Fayette County Fair
25 Fayette County Fair
26 Fayette County Fair
The Chamber Office will be CLOSED
July 4th.
Enjoy the holiday
weekend!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jane Blumhagen, President
Kristine Krivachek, Vice President
Deb Merrill, Secretary
Brian Reichter, Treasurer
Gary Steinlage
Dick Hartkemeyer
Cheryl Meyer
Robin Bostrom
West Union Chamber of Commerce
101 North Vine Street
West Union, IA 52175
Phone: 563-422-3070
Email: wuchamber@alpinecom.net